My Dovii’s stopped breeding

[DCcrest]

Like clockwork, every 2 -2 1/2 months my Dovii pair would breed. Around fall last year, they stopped. I did see a small cutch of eggs a few months ago on their terra-cotta plate, but a day or two later, gone. My pair are about 4 years old. Is this normal? Do cichlids “phase out” of breeding?

 

[sir_keith]

Like clockwork, every 2 -2 1/2 months my Dovii pair would breed. Around fall last year, they stopped. I did see a small cutch of eggs a few months ago on their terra-cotta plate, but a day or two later, gone. My pair are about 4 years old. Is this normal? Do cichlids “phase out” of breeding?

Yes, as they get old, spawning wanes. In some species the transition can be quite abrupt.

 

[lloyd378]

Like clockwork, every 2 -2 1/2 months my Dovii pair would breed. Around fall last year, they stopped. I did see a small cutch of eggs a few months ago on their terra-cotta plate, but a day or two later, gone. My pair are about 4 years old. Is this normal? Do cichlids “phase out” of breeding?

Yes, breeding will slow down, but at four years old, that seems far too young!

I’ve seen and heard of Dovii breeding up into the 10+ years ( the Dovii at aquarium paradise named IKE lived to like 20 years old and bred until like 18 or 19) and mel omara ( guapotemel on YouTube) had a massive Dovii that also lived to like 16 or 17 and continued to breed to the very end.

Question for you, did something change in their environment last fall? Did you switch them to a new tank, or change the heater?


With that said, my large midas who was about 10 years old died recently but bred up to about 6 months before his death…..

 

[DCcrest]

@lloyd378 I did have to change the heater out. Regardless of what temp I set it on, it still produced a higher temp in the tank. For summers I usually unplug the heater (my house stays pretty warm). Behavior is the same, food, and feeding the same…still no fry.

 

[Madness]

It happens. My chancho spawned every 5 weeks like clockwork. Then they stopped for about 6 months. They recently started back up and I have about 50 fry left.

Try doing a good 25-35% water change with cold water. Let the temp drop about 6 or more degrees. Assuming the starting temp is in the high 70s.i would drop the temp in my tank from 80 to 72 every water change.

 

[DCcrest]

It happens. My chancho spawned every 5 weeks like clockwork. Then they stopped for about 6 months. They recently started back up and I have about 50 fry left.

Try doing a good 25-35% water change with cold water. Let the temp drop about 6 or more degrees. Assuming the starting temp is in the high 70s.i would drop the temp in my tank from 80 to 72 every water change.

Appreciate that. I’ll try it this weekend!